Though Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch made it clear he had no interest in prosecuting the man who killed Michael Brown, he did release the evidence he presented to the grand jury which included Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson’s sworn testimony. Wilson also provided a detailed explanation and justification for his actions in an interview with ABC News where he said he had a “clean conscience” and denied that the situation with Brown could have been handled any differently.

Yet despite the assertions of propriety the testimony and public statements of Officer Wilson are facing scrutiny. Claims such as not being able to carry a taser because it was uncomfortable and that the only course of action was to make a one-on-one engagement and then follow Mr. Brown even after Brown fled became particular points of contention.

In his testimony, Officer Wilson said that he did not have a Taser weapon with him at the time, and that he preferred not to carry one because it is large and not “very comfortable.” He said he did not use mace because it was difficult to reach and the spray could have blown back at him. His baton and flashlight, he said, were also inaccessible.

In his testimony, Officer Wilson said he never had any thought to fall back, even if only to make a tactical retreat to reassess and perhaps wait for backup officers. Part of the reason is training, experts said. In the heat of a violent altercation, police officers in many cases are trained to engage, not back down.

If he had backed off after the initial confrontation and called for backup we might all be in a different situation today and though non-lethal weapons may be less comfortable, the point isn’t the officer’s comfort so much as not having as many dead bodies lying in the streets. Should a civil trial be brought by the Brown family it will be interesting to see how compelling a jury not being coaxed by McCulloch to essentially throw the case finds Wilson’s testimony.

Meanwhile protests related to the killing of Michael Brown and police violence against minorities entered their third night and have even spread to Europe. Part of the sustaining power came from another highly questioned police shooting of a black male, 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Video shows police killing Rice almost immediately upon arriving on the scene. Rice had an “airsoft” gun that police say looked exactly like a real gun.

The protests marching under the slogan “Black Lives Matter” have no end in sight, especially with more questionable police shootings ending black lives continually coming out.

Though Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch made it clear he had no interest in prosecuting the man who killed Michael Brown, he did release the evidence he presented to the grand jury which included Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson’s sworn testimony. Wilson also provided a detailed explanation and justification for his actions in an interview with ABC News where he said he had a “clean conscience” and denied that the situation with Brown could have been handled any differently.

Yet despite the assertions of propriety the testimony and public statements of Officer Wilson are facing scrutiny. Claims such as not being able to carry a taser because it was uncomfortable and that the only course of action was to make a one-on-one engagement and then follow Mr. Brown even after Brown fled became particular points of contention.

In his testimony, Officer Wilson said that he did not have a Taser weapon with him at the time, and that he preferred not to carry one because it is large and not “very comfortable.” He said he did not use mace because it was difficult to reach and the spray could have blown back at him. His baton and flashlight, he said, were also inaccessible.

In his testimony, Officer Wilson said he never had any thought to fall back, even if only to make a tactical retreat to reassess and perhaps wait for backup officers. Part of the reason is training, experts said. In the heat of a violent altercation, police officers in many cases are trained to engage, not back down.

If he had backed off after the initial confrontation and called for backup we might all be in a different situation today and though non-lethal weapons may be less comfortable, the point isn’t the officer’s comfort so much as not having as many dead bodies lying in the streets. Should a civil trial be brought by the Brown family it will be interesting to see how compelling a jury not being coaxed by McCulloch to essentially throw the case finds Wilson’s testimony.

Meanwhile protests related to the killing of Michael Brown and police violence against minorities entered their third night and have even spread to Europe. Part of the sustaining power came from another highly questioned police shooting of a black male, 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Video shows police killing Rice almost immediately upon arriving on the scene. Rice had an “airsoft” gun that police say looked exactly like a real gun.

The protests marching under the slogan “Black Lives Matter” have no end in sight, especially with more questionable police shootings ending black lives continually coming out.